The Coming of Tobi
by Nyx Feral-child
Summary: Nyx takes a boat and rides off the island when The Storm hits. She goes back home, but not everything is as she left it.


**The Coming of Tobi**

Nyx was dying. There wasn't a wound on her body, not a drop of blood in sight, but she knew she was dying. While her body was unscathed, her heart was broken – cracked so deeply that a puff of breath would shatter it completely.

She had decided to leave the island and visit her homeland. She succeeded riding the storm off of the island and returning to the forest where she came from…but so much had changed. Huge buildings and houses had been built where mighty pine trees and cliffs had been. Cafés and bars replaced boulders and ponds and –to Nyx's horror- zoos replaced beautiful flowering meadows. The Forest had been almost entirely torn down; the parts that still remained would not be for much longer. Bulldozers and backhoes stood parked at the outskirts of the city, silently staring into the forest like reapers over the doomed.

Nyx skirted around the big machines and stepped inside the forest. Even though it was dark, Nyx's eyes seemed to glow like those who had raised her. With a single breath of fresh Forest air, Nyx had no problem remembering the way to the one place the wolves -or Varg as they called themselves- had left to congregate: The Place Where the Moon Touches the Mountain or simply the "Blessed Mountain".

The walk through the Forest didn't even take a day, but the trek up the mountain took a couple to scale. But, with her hands numb and her knees skinned, Nyx finally made it to the flat precipice that served as the Grand Meeting Place. As she predicted, the Varg were there but, like the landscape, they too had changed. Their sleek coats were now course and dull. Their bodies, once lean and muscular, were now bony and sunken. Even their eyes seemed to have lost their sparks of pride.

Some of the Varg recognized Nyx and immediately stood to greet her. Others, whom Nyx had never seen before, growled and narrowed their eyes in obvious disgust. They largest of the Varg stepped forward, jaws slavering and eyes glittering with malice.

"Nyx, I had hoped to never lay eyes on you again." The Varg spat.

Many of the wolves' eyes, even those who had growled in disgust, widened at the show of rudeness. To say "I" implied great selfishness. It not only showed only the complete thought of oneself, it showed that the speaker completely disregarded their pack's opinion and even their existence. Normally, the Varg only said their own names to refer to themselves and show that they had their own identity- for the Varg cherished and had much pride for their name- as well as show manners.

Nyx's eyes flashed with anger, but she maintained her manners. Even with the blatant show of disrespect, she was still in the presence of an Alpha.

"Alpha Cochoba." She greeted through her teeth.

"And where did you slink off to, malacath, you look better than most in the Mountain Pack."

Nyx felt the hair on her neck rise at being called "malacath". Malacaths were deformed or "cursed" pups that are normally, or should be, left to die. However, Nyx still maintained her formal tone –though it took all the patience and willpower she had in her to do so.

"Alpha Cochoba remembers that Nyx was taken by humans. Nyx escaped and…" She suddenly trailed off. She didn't know how to explain the ARK Island, her new life, her new friends….her new family.

Cochoba scoffed, "Well, malacath, since you have lost your tongue. I have the…displeasure of telling you…" His face of disgust turned into a smirk. "The Morro Pack is no more. We of the Mountain Pack are all that is left."

The words punched her in the gut. The air left her lungs and she almost doubled over, her pack…gone?

Taking pleasure in her pain, Cochoba tossed his head and wiggled in unbridled glee. "The Morro Pack was wiped out in the Second Assault on The Forest. The humans attacked and they failed to defend, weak guardians as they were."

Nyx's hands curled into fists and she shook with rage. She noticed some of the onlookers showed the points of their canine teeth in disapproval, but they didn't dare speak up against their Alpha. Nyx didn't dare say anything either. Even if the pack members didn't agree with their alpha, they still had to follow his orders. All Cochoba had to do was say the word, and Nyx would be condemned to death…and they would be the ones to tear her apart.

"Leave this place, sikla*, you bore me and I have no interest in having malacaths into the Mountain Pack. You have three days to be gone. If you are found after five days are up, you will be killed."

Without even a backwards glance, Nyx turned on her heel and walked down the mountain. Tears threatened to spill for what she had lost, but she couldn't let them….she didn't let them.

Nyx made it off the mountain and out of the Forest in three days. She was going back to the island. She didn't shudder when she dove in to the ocean from the boat she had stowed away on, nor did she flinch when the waves spit her onto the shore of ARK Island. It was only when she lay on the beach and stared up at the sky did she wonder why she had gone back.

As far as she knew, all those she cared about –even loved- were dead. Why did she bother coming back if she knew she would be broken yet again. Nyx closed her eyes and felt the cracks in her heart deepening. She didn't know where she belonged anymore.

-:-

She heard screaming. Nyx opened her eyes and saw Karthy. The pup was screaming to the empty air…no…screaming at something named Toby. Toby must have answered, because she screamed again and smiled.

The strong stench of sulfur and smoke filled Nyx's nose. The center of her forehead burned before everything went black.

Nyx's eyes suddenly opened and she looked around. She was in a strange red room with a single chair in the center. A large screen flickered to life. Nyx saw Karthy's smiling face looming over her.

"Miss Nyx?" She squeaked.

Nyx cocked her head in confusion as a voice that was not her own answered.

"Not exactly, Little Specimen."

The voice was suave and seductive, the complete opposite of Nyx's rough, clipped, and rasping tone.

"Nyx" stood and smelled the air. "While this body is pathetic….it will have to do." She looked at Karthy and smirked, "I am Tobi, One of the Many in Hell's Legion, pupil of the demoness Ardat Lili, personal acquaintance of the Devil, and soon…." She laughed serenely, "one of the most powerful demons of all."

Nyx could do nothing to control her own body and she watched through her own eyes as Tobi looked past Karthy and into the jungle, "Now then….who are the oldest people you know?"

Karthy looked at Nyx…or Tobi, wearily. "Why do you need to know?"

Tobi sighed, "Because, I will need their blood to regain full power. So I repeat," She grabbed Karthy by the shirt collar and lifted her off the sand, holding the small child up to eye level. "Who are the oldest people you know?"

Sikla*- weakling


End file.
